2013Pahlmeyer "Raison D'Etre"

Intense aromatics of dark cherry and sarsaparilla guide you into this opulent, unctuous wine. Rich with notes of ripe blackberry and juicy blueberry, the freshness is stunning and carries through the fine, strong tannins with hints of graphite.

Composition

85% Cabernet Sauvignon
15% Merlot

Vineyards

Critics

99 Points

Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate, December 2016

Nearly its match is the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Raison d’Etre, a blend of 100% estate fruit consisting of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Merlot. There is not much difference in power, massive extract, richness, length and profound aromatics and flavors, as this is just a prodigious wine. Perhaps the dosage of Merlot gives this more chocolate and espresso than the Pièce De Résistance, but it is a stunningly big, thick, juicy wine that somehow maintains balance and delineation. Drink it over the next 35+ years.

Winemaking

Winemaker:

Kale Anderson

Alcohol:

15.2%

Harvested:

September 14 to October 8, 2013

Bottled:

September 22, 2015

Released:

October 1, 2017

Still cool to the touch from the early morning harvest, these grape clusters were hand-sorted, then gently destemmed. The resulting whole berries were hand-sorted and 30% were delivered to ferment in 500L oak puncheon, in order to soften the tannins and deepen the color. The remaining berries were fermented in stainless steel open top tanks, to capture a juicy and fresh flavor profile. Once complete, the fruit was gently pressed and moved to barrel to finish fermentation. The wine continued to age in 100% new French oak – a combination of Taransaud and St. Martin barrels – for 24 months. It was bottled unfined and unfiltered.